A newly emerging
respiratory pathogen in dogs has been identified as a virus belonging to
the influenza A family. These viruses can infect humans, domestic
animals, (pigs, horses, chickens, ducks), and some wild birds. The
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has isolated and
identified H3N8 influenza virus as the cause of a serious respiratory
disease in dogs in shelters, humane societies, boarding facilities and
veterinary hospitals in Florida. Cases have been predominantly in Dade,
Palm Beach and Duval counties. Racing greyhounds in Florida have also
been affected. There are confirmed cases in New York State. This
particular strain is not known to affect humans or poultry and appears
to be a mutated form of the equine influenza virus.

Influenza viruses are
defined by membrane proteins that are distinguished by their genetic
structures. These proteins are referred to as H and N. The H protein
has 15 genetic subtypes and the N protein has 9 genetic subtypes. Very
few of the subtypes have consistently circulated among people,
(predominantly H1N1, H1N2, H2N2, H3N2), or domestic animals. Virtually
all of the possible influenza subtypes exist among wild waterfowl. In
birds the virus lives and is shed predominantly through fecal
contamination. It is highly contagious among birds; waterfowl are
usually asymptomatic but it can be deadly to domesticated birds, such as
chickens. Reassortment of the virus commonly occurs when 2 different
subtypes are present in the same animal. Influenza virus has the
ability to change its molecular antigenic structure making previously
immune animals susceptible.

This disease in dogs
can mimic the kennel cough syndrome caused by Bordetella bronchieptica/parainfluenza
virus complex. Since it is a newly emerging disease
virtually 100% of exposed dogs will become infected. Dogs may remain
asymptomatic, exhibit mild illness, or present with severe pneumonia.
Approximately 20% of the dogs will be asymptomatic. The remaining 80%
will develop clinical illness with the majority showing a mild syndrome
that presents as a cough with or without a low grade fever. The cough
does not respond to antibiotics or cough suppressants and generally
lasts 10 to 21 days. The cough may be soft and moist or dry. A
purulent nasal discharge may develop which is generally caused by
secondary bacterial infection and is responsive to antibiotics. This
presentation is difficult to differentiate from kennel cough syndrome.
Standard treatments for upper respiratory infections should be
instituted regardless of the cause.

The severe pneumonic
syndrome presents as clinical pneumonia with high fevers (104 - 106),
increased respiratory rate and difficulty breathing. Thoracic
radiographs show generalized pneumonia with consolidation of the lung
lobes. These dogs should be treated symptomatically with broad-spectrum
antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections, hydration therapy, and
other supportive care as needed. Mortality in these dogs is 1 - 5%.

No vaccine for canine
influenza is currently available. The use of flu vaccines approved for
other species is not recommended because of the potential for adverse
and possibly fatal reactions.

Influenza virus is
transmitted by aerosolized respiratory secretions, contaminated
inanimate objects (food bowls, dog crates), and people moving from
infected dogs to uninfected dogs. The virus is easily killed with any
disinfectant that will kill parvovirus. The incubation period is 2 - 5
days and dogs can shed the virus for up to 10 days after the onset of
symptoms. All dogs with symptoms of kennel cough or pneumonia should be
isolated from other dogs for a minimum of 10 days after onset of
symptoms to prevent spread.

There is no rapid test
for canine influenza virus. Serology is available but antibodies do not
develop until 7 or more days after the onset of symptoms. Convalescent
samples 2 or more weeks after the onset of symptoms aid in the
diagnosis. Positive serology testing only indicates that the dog was
infected sometime previously, however a positive test gives
veterinarians an indication that the influenza virus is in their
community, so precautions can be taken with dogs presenting with "kennel
cough". Early detection of virus in your community is important so that
preventive measures may be instituted by careful handling of dogs with
upper respiratory disease. Serum samples can be submitted to Cornell
University Diagnostic Laboratory for testing for canine influenza
virus. The cost is $20.00 per test and further information and
submission forms may be found at:

Although canine
influenza is not reportable in Illinois, the Illinois Department of
Agriculture appreciates the voluntary reporting of laboratory confirmed cases of
canine influenza in the state. This information will be shared with
veterinary professionals in Illinois to alert them to the presence of
the virus in the state. To-date there are no known reported cases of
canine influenza in Illinois. Please contact the office of the State
Veterinarian at 217-782-4944 to report cases. THE information requested
includes the name of the veterinarian or clinic, city, county, the
number of dogs affected, date of testing and test results.

Several members have contacted the Crowne
Plaza Springfield (217) 529-7777 to make room reservations for the ISVMA
Convention and were informed that there were only smoking rooms
available. If you received that information, it is incorrect. If you
wish to change your reservation to a non-smoking room or if you are told
when making your reservation that there are no non-smoking rooms
availabe, please call the ISVMA at (217) 523-8387 for assistance. We
will work through the hotel to ensure that you get your desired
accommodations.

The hotel is experiencing computer
problems with central reservations and the room block is not updating
properly. We were assured by the hotel yesterday that there are plenty of non-smoking rooms
available.

DEADLINE
REMINDER:

Remember
that the ISVMA Block Discount rate expires on October 13, 2005. Make
sure to contact the Crowne Plaza prior to that date to make your room
reservations. Call (217) 529-7777 and as for reservations and require
the ISVMA Block Discount.

The Job Fair (Linking Employees and Employers at the ISVMA Convention)
has expanded this year! The Job Fair will now be open throughout
convention.

The Job Fair allows
prospective employees at every level of veterinary care to visit your
table and pass along a resume to you. Private interview space has been
set up away from the crowd if you want to find out more about a
candidate right onsite.

Get more details and
reserve a table at the Job Fair by contacting
dana@isvma.org.

In response to
requests from a number of AVMA members who want to do something in their
practices to benefit animal victims of the hurricane, a simple
in-hospital donation program has been created by AVMA on behalf of the
AVMF. We have designed a voluntary donation program that is easily
implemented by those veterinarians interested in giving their clients an
opportunity to support the work of the AVMA Veterinary Medical
Assistance Teams (VMATs) in hurricane stricken areas.

Here veterinarians can
download a can-wrapper, poster, and several different size newspaper ads
that encourage donations to the AVMF. In order to depict the images on
the poster and can-wrapper in the best possible way, it might be helpful
to print both of them on a color printer or have them printed in color
at a local quick print shop. Any donations received by the AVMF as a
result of this in-hospital program will be added to the AVMF's Animal Disaster Relief
and Response Fund.

Tropicbirds, the
smallest of the pelecaniformes belong to the family Phaethontidae which
contains one genus, Phaethon,
and three species. They derive their other common name, the "bosun
bird", from their characteristic "t'weee-eee" call which is reminiscent
of a boatswain's whistle. The Galapagos species, the red-billed
tropicbird (P. aethereus)
is also found in the tropical latitudes of the eastern Pacific, the
Caribbean, and in the Indian Ocean. In Galapagos it is not uncommon to
see them soaring along the cliffs where they make their nests, on
islands such as South Plaza, Espanola, Genovesa, and N. Seymour.

Tropicbirds are
striking birds, with a vivid, white body, black wing edges and eye
stripe, red bill, and two long, streaming tail feathers. Like some of
the other pelecaniformes, tropicbirds are plunge-divers, feeding on
squid and fish, well out at sea. After a dive, they bob back up to the
surface, sitting momentarily, with their two tail feathers cocked in an
upright position.

When seen on the
ocean, the Red-billed Tropicbird is typically flying very fast and is
extraordinarily difficult to photograph. This bird was photographed on
September 10, 2005 far off the coast of Los Angeles, CA.

The boat was enduring
15-foot swells during the trip so I was very pleased with this picture.

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